The Truth Behind an Abrupt Departure
It has been nearly ten years since Ronda Rousey stepped away from professional MMA. However, this Saturday at the Intuit Dome near Los Angeles, she will return to the cage to face Gina Carano in an event promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, streaming on Netflix. For years following her 2015 loss to Holly Holm, the former bantamweight champion withdrew from the public eye. It was only during her tenure in the WWE that she began to speak openly about the circumstances surrounding her exit from the UFC.
Hidden Neurological Battles
In a recent interview, Rousey revealed that her exit was driven by severe, undiagnosed neurological issues that peaked during her high-profile fights. “I was dealing with these neurological issues for such a long time, and I didn't understand what was going on,” Rousey explained. She described a terrifying experience during the Holm fight:
«The very first time I got hit in that fight, it knocked all my lower teeth loose and cut my lip open. I got this huge migraine aura — a big chunk of my vision missing, like losing my depth perception and ability to think clearly, quickly and track moving objects — but I was still on my feet and balanced.»
Because she was trained to conceal any sign of weakness, Rousey spent the entire match attempting to hide her cognitive impairment from her opponent and the audience.
Diagnosis and Perspective
Eventually, UFC CEO Dana White assisted Rousey in seeking medical help at the Cleveland Clinic. Specialists diagnosed her with chronic migraine aura, and the subsequent preventative medication was, as she describes, “life-changing.” However, at the time of her initial retirement, she felt unfairly judged for her performance, unaware that her struggles were medical rather than a simple decline in skill.
A One-Time Return and Future Aspirations
Despite this return, Rousey has promised her husband, former UFC heavyweight Travis Browne, that the bout against Carano will be a singular event. Her focus is shifting toward family, but her ambition to influence the sport remains undiminished. Reflecting on her past, she believes her losses were necessary for the evolution of women's MMA and the promotion of a more competitive landscape.
Looking ahead, Rousey views her involvement in this new venture as a way to challenge the industry status quo:
«I could feasibly be the Dana of MVP MMA. I could be the most powerful figure in the sport since Dana. That’s a goal I never even would have thought to have if I had done nothing but win and win and win and win.»
Ultimately, Rousey views her turbulent journey—from her dominant rise to her difficult exit—as a vital sequence of events that has prepared her to advocate for better conditions and power for professional fighters today.